Governance & Structure

Ratified at the 2004 Cattle Industry Convention

A dues paying member of the county or state organization may initiate a policy resolution at the county or state level depending on the protocol required by the state cattlemen's organization. Active individual members of NCBA may introduce policy at NCBA meetings.

Proposed policy must be introduced to the appropriate policy or joint committee that has purview on the issue being addressed. This proposed policy may be introduced by an affiliate organization, dues-based council, or individual active member. A dues-based council would be the livestock marketing council, allied industry council, veal council, or product council.

A committee must approve a proposed policy in order for it to be sent to NCBA's Board of Directors. Amendments or changes to the proposed policy are allowed within the committee deliberations. Committees are also responsible for reviewing existing policy.

Upon recommendation from an NCBA committee, a proposed policy would be presented to NCBA's Board of Directors. Amendments or changes to the proposed policy are allowed during BOD deliberations. NCBA's Board of Directors may reject, amend, or approve proposed policy by simple majority and forward the approved policy to NCBA's annual membership meeting for consideration.

The Board of Directors may consider any proposed or existing policy rejected by a committee. A director may bring to the floor for consideration any rejected policy from a committee with a simple majority of the Board's approval. The Board may approve any rejected policy from a committee with a simple majority vote. The Board of Directors may not consider any existing or proposed policy that has not been considered by a committee.

At the annual NCBA membership meeting, members may ratify or reject any approved policy brought forward by NCBA's Board of Directors by a simple majority. Members may amend any policy previously approved by the Board of Directors by a two-thirds majority vote.

Members may consider any policy rejected by the Board of Directors at the annual membership meeting. To do so, a simple majority vote of the active members attending is required to bring the proposed policy to the floor for consideration. To approve a proposed policy previously rejected by the Board of Directors, a two-thirds majority vote is required of those attending.

There is no proxy voting at the annual membership meeting. Only active NCBA members in attendance are allowed to vote.

All policy passed at the annual membership meeting would become policy unless changed in the last step of the policy development process.

The last step in the policy development process is for all members to have a voice on policy developed at the annual or summer meeting. Approved policy is sent to NCBA members in the issue of the Beef Business Bulletin mailed following the annual meeting. Members are given 30 days to vote on each policy via mail, email, or internet voting.

A response requirement for each policy passed at the annual membership meeting is:

a. Response of a minimum of 20% of NCBA's membership;
b. Response of a minimum 20% of NCBA's membership from 4 out of 7 regions.

NCBA's membership is based upon active, paid members as of December 31 prior to the annual meeting. This response requirement establishes a quorum for the mail ballot response.

If these response requirements are met, a simple majority from those responding would negate a policy passed at the annual membership meeting.

This last step will be reviewed after three years to evaluate effectiveness.

Policy starts with the individual members and ends with the individual members.